February is a time for plum blossom viewing to celebrate the Coming of Spring. There are a number of places where you can see plum flowers blooming. Some recommended spots would be Kyoto Imeprial Palace, Nijo Castle and Kitano Temmangu Shrine.
Baikasai or plum blossom festival is going to be held at Kitano Temmangu Shrine on February 25th. You will see Geiko or Maiko (apprentices of Geiko) hosting an outdoor tea ceremony called "Nobate" under the plum trees.
This is one of the biggest events of this month and attracts many visitors. If you are in Kyoto around this time I recommend you purchase a pre-paid ticket from the shrine to experience this seasonal event! (The ticket for Nobeta is sold for 3,000 yen per person)
Next month cherry blossom!!
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